maidhof



(No Model.) 2 Sheets'-Sheet 1.

M. & v. F. MAIDHOF. CAR FENDER No. 539,281. Patented May 14,1895.

W/TNESSES. INVENTUHS A TTORNEYS.

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(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. & V. F.,MAIDHOF.

- GAR FENDER.

N0. 539,281. Patented May 14, 1895.

WITNESSES.- W

A TTOHNE YS.

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UNITED STAT S" PATENT OFFICE.

MARGUERITE MA'IDHOF AND VICTOR F. MAIDHOF, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

.CAR-FEN DER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 539,281, dated May 14', 1895.

Application filed J'uly.3 0,1894=. Serial I la. 518,953. (No model To 00% whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MARGUERITE MAID- H015 and VICTOR F. MAIDHOF, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Oar-Fender, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to an improvement times in the position in which it is intended that it shall travel.

Another object of the invention is to provide rolling bearings and guides for the pivot of the fender where it operates in conjunction with the yielding connection adapted for the I fender and for attachment to the car body.

other roads in which a slot occurs between the rails of the track.

The entire fender is so constructed that it will at all times remain in a position closeto the pavement and directly under the platform of the car, not projecting beyond said platform. The supporting wheels of the receiving section of the fender travel at all times on the rails, whether the car is going up or down grade, or travelingon a level or around curves; ,while the fender travels so close to the ground or pavement that it will pick up without injury any object upon or between the rails of a track, and will pass any ordinary obstruction, as for example, irregularities in the pavement, that may be in its path.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, aswill be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a car and the improved fender applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a section taken horizontally and substantially onthe line 2 2 of Fig. 1. v Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken practically on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4is avertical section through the platform of the car, illustrating the improved fender in front elevation. Fig. 5 is a section taken practicallyon the line 5 5 of Fig. 3, said section being taken through the supporting-plate adapted for attachment to the car, through the pivot-plate, and likewise through the guide-blocks for the fender; and Fig. 6 is an inner face view of one of the said guide-blocks.

In carrying out the invention the fender consists of'a platform or receiving section A and a back or guard section l The platform section A is horizontally located, and it may be made inany approved manner, being illustrated as consisting of a skeleton frame 10, of a width substantially that of the distance be tween the rails of the track, and a bed 11 of a yielding charactersupported by the frame. The front of the frame is preferably made somewhat .convexed or cylindrical, and is rounded off at its outer corners.

- The guard section 'B of the fender stands substantially at right angles to the rear portion of the platform section and is pivotally connected therewith, the guard sectionbeing provided at its upper central portion with a pivot pin 12, the pin being rigidly attachedto the guard section, as shown in Fig. 2. Springs 13,are usually employed to maintain the platform A at a proper angle to the guard section.

. The platform section of the fender is pro- 5 cated within the frame 10 of the fender, and Ioo said wheels are usually mounted upon short spindles 15 carried by the frame, and by 0&- sets 16 from the front and rear of the frame parallel with its sides, as shown in Fig. 2; but if in practice it is found desirable but two axles or spindles may be employed, one for the front and the other for the rear set of wheels. In the drawings the wheels are illustrated as traveling upon the flanged portion of the rails, but preferably the wheels are flanged and made to travel upon the tread of the rails.

In the event the fender is used upon a road having a slot between the rails of the track, a guide stud or finger 17, is secured to the platform section of the fender at any appropriate point enabling it to enter said slot, as shown in Fig. 4. Under this construction it will be impossible for the fender, under lateral strain, to leave the track.

That portion of the wheels extending above the top of the fender is guarded or protected through the medium of shields 18, and said shields are removable in order that the bearings may be properly oiled. Preferably the wheels are placed in spring-controlled bearings of any approved construction, which will enable the platform section of the fender to be carried upward a certain distance by an obstruction which it must pass, without causing the wheels to leave the rails.

The yielding connection between the fender and the body of the car is accomplished in the following manner: The platform section of the fender is located beneath the platform of the car, and its outer end is substantially flush with the outer end of the car platform. A surface plate 19 is secured in any approved manner to the bottom of the car, back of the platform and the steps, and the said surface plate ismade to carry a predetermined number of bolts 20, six being illustrated in the j claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 1 Patentdrawings, one located at each corner of the plate, and one centrally at each side, as shown in Fig. 3. These bolts, beneath the surface plate, have springs 21 coiled around them, and a pivot plate 22, of substantially the same size as the surface plate, is located beneath the latter, and has free movement upon the bolts 20, the springs 21 being interposed between the two plates, as shown in Figs. 1, 4;, and 5. The downward movement of the pivot plate is limited by nuts 23, or their equivalents, located upon the extremities of the bolts 20. The pivot plate 22 is provided with a longitudinal segmental or semi-circular slot 24, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and at top and bottom of the slotted portion of the pivot plate position on the rails of the track.

Fig. 3, located preferably one at each side of A the center, and in order that these blocks may move upon the pivot plate with the least possible amount of friction, grooves or channels 29, are produced in their inner faces, one at each side of the center, extending longitudinally of said blocks. These grooves or channels are preferably made somewhat curved owing to the sernicircnlar path of travel of the blocks; and in each channel of each block, a predetermined number of balls 30 are placed, said balls being brought in engagement with the pivot plate, afiording the guide blocks a rolling bearing thereon. The pivot pin 12 of the fender is passed loosely through the central portion of the guide blocks and therefore through the slot 24 in the pivot plate, the head of the pivot resting upon the upper surface of the upper block. Under this construction it is. evident that the springs 21 will efiectually prevent the pivot plate rising sufliciently high for the pivot to contact with the car; and furthermore, the springs prevent any movement of the car body from interfering with the fender. Again, the springs serve to press downward the fender and maintain it in The latter influence on the fender is considerable owing to the wide expanse of spring bearing obtained. It is also evident that the fender is not in the least interfered with when the car turns a curve, no matter how sharp,since the guide blocks have easy movement upon the pivot plate and therefore preserve the fender from displacement, permitting the car body to move in a lateral direction independently of the fender.

Having thus described our invention, we

1. In a car fender, the combination with a spring controlled plate adapted to be suspended beneath a car and having limited movement to and from the car, of a fender pivotally connected with said plate, the pivot of the fender having lateral movement in the pivot plate, substantially as and for the pur* pose set forth.

2. In a car fender, the combination, with the fender, of a pivoted plate, spring-controlled and adapted for limited movement to and from the car body, the pivot plate being provided with a curved slot, and guide blocks having guided movement in said slot, located above and below the pivot plate, each guide block being provided with roller bearings engaging with said plate, the guide blocks having pivotal connection with the said fender, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with a fender, of supports adapted for attachment to a car, a pivot plate having yielding connection with said pin loosely mounted in the said blocksiand 1o supports and provided with a curved slot, rigidly attached to the fender, as and for the springs having downward bearing upon the purpose specified.

said pivot plate, guide blocks located one above and the other below the pivot plate, the said blocks being connected and provided with ribs entering the slot in the pivot plate, Witnesses:

each block being provided with roller bear- J. FRED AoKER,

ings engaging with the pivot plate, and a pivot G. SEDGWIOK. 

